Bombay HC allows Yuzvendra Chahal, Dhanashree Verma to waive 6-month cooling period post divorce

PTC Web Desk: The Bombay High Court has granted Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his estranged wife, Dhanashree Verma, an exemption from the mandatory six-month cooling period in their divorce proceedings. The court has instructed the Bandra Family Court to finalise the case by March 20, considering Chahal's commitments to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, which begins on March 22.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree, who tied the knot in December 2020, have been living separately since June 2022. They formally filed for divorce in February 2024 and simultaneously requested a waiver of the cooling-off period under Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act. This provision typically requires couples seeking a mutual divorce to wait six months before finalisation, allowing time for reconciliation. However, given their prolonged separation, the High Court ruled that the clause was inapplicable.

The case faced complications when, on February 20, the court initially refused to waive the cooling period due to incomplete compliance with agreed consent terms. According to court records, Chahal had committed to paying Dhanashree a permanent alimony of Rs 4.75 crore. However, he had only transferred Rs 2.37 crore so far, leading to the court's rejection of their initial plea.

Following a review of the family counsellor’s report, the Bombay High Court acknowledged that the couple had already been apart for over two and a half years. The court ruled that the pending payment issue did not warrant delaying the divorce process and permitted the waiver of the cooling period.

With the IPL 2025 season around the corner, the family court has been directed to conclude the divorce proceedings by March 20.